Step-ladder.



UNrTED STATES Patented June 2, 1903.

PATENT FFICE.

MARCUS FALK, oF HARTFCRQ, CONNECTICUT.

sPEcIFIcATIoNrerming part nor Letters 12a-tent No. 729,561,- datea Junee, 1903.

` Apparition sied November e, 19c2.jfsria1N. i'sogzso. (No man.)

To all whom vi? may.concern:`

Beit known that I, MARCUS FALK, a citizen2 of the UnitedStates,,re`siding in the city of Hartford, in the county of Hartford andState of Connecticut, have invented new and use. ful ImprovementsinStep-Ladders; and Ido1 hereby declare the following to be a full,clear,

ble legs, of, my step-ladder detached. Fig. 4

is a detail view showing a portion of the top surface of. one of thetreads with the extensible leg and a portion of the frame in section,and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the castings.

Similar indices refer to and denote like parts throughout the severalviews.

The object/of this inventionisfto provide a step-ladder with auxiliaryextensible legs on the front supports, whereby the ladder may beadjusted to stand level even Vwhen the front legs are placed on alowersurface than the rear legs-as, for instance, stairways or the like.

Another object is to provide a step-ladder adapted to stand level on alevel surface and also adj nstable to stand level on two differentelevations, whichfwill be simple in character, compactin form andconstruction, easily operated, and whereby the operator will be enabledto perform his work with safety and in a minimum of time and with asaving of labor.

Anotherpbject is the provision of an article of manufacture-anadjustable step-ladderwhich can be manufactured and sold at acomparatively low price.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the followingspecification and from the drawings forming a part thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, A and By represent the rear leg membersof a step-ladder united by cross bars and braces in any'well-knownVmann'er.; C represents the top or,platform, ,extending downfrom the under side ofwhich near each end are cross-blocks IC and C", tothe rear portions of which are pivotedfthe upper ends of the said legs AD represents spreaders adapted to hold the legs A' andjB at the desiredpoint when extended.

Erepresents a shelf.

f `All of the above-named parts are old and maybe variously changed tosnit the various requirements.

Extending d (nynward and forward at an angle from the cross-blocks C'and C, respectively, are the front-leg members l and 2, pro- Eachvof thelegs l and 2 is provided with a Y nu mberof castings 5,securedtherein,as shown in Fig.j4, the port-ionforming the opening 5 projectingthrough the slots 3 and 4 and the freeends being adapted to grip theends of the treads 6. Said castings 5 are secured to the -legs 1 and 2by screws orv nails which pass through the legs, the castings, andproject into the ends of the treads 6, as shown in Fig. 4, thus securingthe castings in place in the legs and also securingthe ends of thetreads in place in the castings. The treads 6 are further secured bynails'or screws passing through the parallel ends of the castings andinto the front and rear edges of the treads 6, as sho-wn. After all thecastings and'treads 6 are secured in place, as shown, it will be seenthat the two rows of castings 5 will provide guideways by means of theopenings v5', extending from the top to the bottom of the legs'l and 2.I now provide two auxiliary legs 7 and 7 of a length substantially thesame as the length of the slots 3 and 4 and of a size to loosely fitinto the openings 5. The lower ends of the legs 7 are forked, andsecured inthe forks are blocks 8 and 8, one edge IOC of which is adaptedto rest level on the door of a room, and secured on the under edge ofthe block 8 are rubbers 9 to prevent the ends of the legs from slipping.It will now be apparent that the legs 7 may be inserted in the openingsas shown in Figs. l and 4, or they may be extended to the pointdesired,as shown in Fig. 2. A

The indices a: represent openings passing through the legs l and 2 atright angles thereto and through the slots 3 and 4, and z representsopenings passing through the legs 7, adapted to be brought intoalinement with the openings at various points.

lO and represent two bolts or pins adapted to pass through the openingsand z, by which the legs 7 may be secured at the extended point desired.

It will now`be seen that my step-ladder may be placed on a level doorand used in the usual manner, as shown in Fig. l; but should it bedesired to use my ladder, for instance, on a stairway the rear legs Aand B may be placed on an upper step and the legs 7 may be extended toreach a much lower step in order to keep the treads 6.on a level, andthe legs 7 may then be secured at that point by means of the bolts 10,as shown.

Myinvention is perfectly adapted to accomplish the purposes for which itis intended, and it is evident that changes in and modifications of thespecific construction herein shown and described may be made and thatanalogous parts may be used to accomplish the same results withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its manyadvantages, and the specific construction of the details of my inventionmay be variously changed without altering the essential principles whichare claimed as new.

Having nowefully shown and described my invention and the best mode forits construction and use to me known at this time, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an extensible step-ladder the combination, of the two forward legseach provided with a slot extending from their lower ends to near theupper ends, a plurality of castings 5 secured at frequent distancesapart in each of said slots, said castings forming projecting ends intowhich are secured the ends of the treads, and each of said castingshaving an opening 5 forming guides for the auxiliary legs, of theauxiliary legs adapted to slide in said openings in the castings 5 andparallel with thelegs 1 and 2, a block 8 secured in the lower ends ofthe legs 7, and a rubber secured on the lower face of said blocks, allsubstantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a step-ladder the combination of the main supporting-legs 1 and 2formed with a slot extending from the bottom to near the top thereof, ofthe castings 5 secured in said slots at frequent distances apart, thetread secured in said castings the auxiliary legs 7 adapted to beadjusted endwise through openings in the castings 5, means for securingthe legs 7 at various points along the lengths thereof, and acontact-block and rubber secured on the lower ends of each of the legs7, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to thisspecification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARCUS FALK.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL GIPSTEIN, A. SHAPIRO.

